Tying machine table



y 5, 1966 w. D. AYRES, JR 3,259,057

TYING MACHINE TABLE Filed July 8, 1964 4 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR WALTERD. AYQE5,JR.

y 5, 1966 w. D. AYRES, JR

TYING MACHINE TABLE 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed July 8, 1964 INVENTOR WALTERD. AYRES JR.

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July 5, 1966 W. D. AYRES, JR

TYING MACHINE TABLE Filed July 8, 1964 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOFZ WALTERD. AYERS,JR.

BY ibhs dnfimlio, (8124000 (EX/aw Jlttgys.

July 5, 1966 w. D. AYRES, JR

TYING MACHINE TABLE 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed July 8, 1964 INVENTOR WALTERD. AYQESJQ. BY WM, 9%, (BM/1% flfi/m mm eflttg s.

United States Patent 3,259,057 TYING MAQHINE TABLE Walter D. Ayres, Jr.,Chicago, 11]., assignor to B. H. Bunn Company, Chicago, 11]., acorporation of Illinois Filed July 8, 1964, Ser. No. 381,155 8 Claims.(Cl. 1007) This invention relates to tying machines and particularly toa mechanism for ejecting tied bundles from a tying machine.

In a co-pending application of Benjamin H. Bunn, Serial No. 278,031,filed May 6, 1963, for Apparatus for Tying Moving Bundles, now PatentNo. 3,160,088, there is disclosed a conveyorized system for tyingbundles of mail with both a long tie and cross-tie. In that system, abundle of mail is placed between clamps on a moving conveyor whichcarries the bundle past a bundle compacting and tying machine for tyinga longitudinal tie around the bundle. The bundle is then removed fromthe conveyor and placed upon a transfer conveyor from which it is pushedupon a second tying machine for tying the cross-tie. The second tyingmachine shown in the aforesaid Bunn pending application is of the typeknown as a ring tying machine. In this type the usual twine arm isreplaced by a ring which is driven by a chain and which carries theequivalent of :a twine arm. The purpose of the ring is to permit thetied bundle to be pushed through the machine to the next station of thesystem without changing the direction of the bundle. It is thus possibleto set up a straight line operation through'the second trying machine bymerely feeding the bundles ina single direction to the tying station onthe machine and then through the ring off the machine and into a waitingreceptacle or the like.

In automated equipment it is desirable to have the same general types oftying machines for both the long and cross ties, both for ease of repairand for uniformity of result. The ring tying machine of the aforesaidsystem is different from the machine used to make the first tie andhence it does not satisfy the basic requirements of automated equipmentin the aforementioned system.

It is an object of this invention to provide a bundle ejecting mechanismfor a tying machine which is adapted for use with substantially the samemachine as is normally used for tying bundles, that is, for a standardtying machine.

As a more specific object, this invention seeks to provide a platformfor supporting :a bundle to be tied on a tying machine, said platformhaving a deflector for turning the tied bundle to one side when it ismoved forwardly into the machine beyond the tying stage, and withejecting means which propels a tied bundle forwardly against saiddeflector.

As a further specific object, this invention has within its purview theprovision of a combined table and deflector for a typing machine whereinthe table has a downwardly directed section and a deflector whichdeflects a forwardly moving bundle toward the downwardly directedsection to cause said bundle to be turned and moved downwardly bygravity off said table.

Another object of this invention is to provide a solenoid-operatedejector mechanism for propelling a tied bundle off a tying machine, saidmechanism being efficient and rapid in operation, and concealed when notin operation.

These and other objects of this invention will become apparent from thefollowing detailed description when Ice taken together with theaccompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a side elevational view of a tying machine and ejector madeaccording to this invention and shown in position at the output end of atransfer-conveyor;

FIG. 2 is a plan view of the transfer-conveyor, tying machine andejector of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is an elevation in section through the machine showing thedetails of the ejector, said section being taken along lines 3-3 of FIG.2 and looking in the direction of the arrows at the ends thereof;

FIG. 4 is a greatly enlarged section through the tying machine table ofFIG. 2 taken along lines 44 of FIG. 2 and looking in the direction ofthe arrows at the ends thereof; and

FIGS. 5, 6, 7 and 8 are fragmentay enlarged views of the ejector insuccessive stages of operation thereof.

In its preferred form, this invention comprises a tying machine which isprovided with a standard twine arm rotating about an axis which ishorizontal and aligned generally with the direction in which bundles tobe tied are fed to the machine. A fixed table for the bundle is providedon the machine, and secured to the underside of the table is atransverse shaft on which is mounted an ejector finger. The shaft ismounted to oscillate about its axis, the driving force being a solenoidwhich acts upon a crank arm secured to the shaft, and the restoringforce is a spring. The ejector finger is disposed in an opening in thetable and swings through this opening against the underside of thebundle to raise one end thereof and propel the bundle toward the twinearm. Adjacent the fixed table is a second table provided with means fordeflecting the bundle horizontally and also with means for allowing thebundle to fall sidewise off the table.

Referring now to the drawings for a detailed description of theinvention, and particularly to FIG. 2, the tying machine is shown at 10,disposed adjacent the exit end of a transfer conveyor 11, which, inturn, is disposed at the exit end of a horizontal conveyor 12 from whichbundles of mail tied together with a long tie are received. Conveyor 12is provided with drive sprockets 13 and 14 which drive a chain on whichare mounted clamps for holding bundles of mail 15 (shown dotted). Thedetails of construction of the conveyor 12 are explained more fully inthe aforesaid pending application of Benjamin H. Bunn and do not form apart of this invention.

The bundles 15 are moved toward transfer conveyor 11 on which isprovided a platform 16 disposed transversely of the direction ofmovement of conveyor 12 and constructed to receive the bundles of tiedmail, or the like, from conveyor 12. One such bundle resting on platform16 is shown in dotted outline at 17.

Transfer conveyor 11 is of the push type and has one or more fingers 19which extend downwardly into a groove 20 in the platform 16, and whichare secured to a chain 21 passing over a series of sprockets 22, 23, 24and 25 (FIG. 1), one of which sprockets 24 is driven by a mechanismshown generally at 26, to cause said fingers 19 to move along platform16 from left to right, as viewed in FIG. 2. The mechanism 26 isdescribed in greater 3 granted November 9, 1926. The details ofconstruction thereof are not a part of this invention. Said tyingmachine 10, is provided with a frame 28 on which is mounted ,a bearing29 containing a hollow sleeve 30, which is adapted to be rotated by agear 31 through appropriate driving mechanism in the machine (notshown). The axis of rotation of the sleeve 30 is substantially parallelto the direction of movement of a bundle from platform 16 to tyingmachine 10. As may be noted from FIG. 1, the frame 28, and particularlythe bearing 29, gear 31 and sleeve 30, are directly in line with thepath of a bundle 17, as it is moved from platform 16 to tying machine10.

Secured to sleeve 30 is a twine arm 32 (FIG. 1), which is thus rotatableabout the axis of sleeve 30. Said twine arm is hollow and has a twine 33threaded therethrough and through the sleeve 30, from a suitableball orspool (not shown).

Adjacent platform 16 is a stationary table 34, which forms part of tyingmachine and is mounted on the frame 28 thereof. Disposed over table 34is a yoke 35 (FIG. 3) which is secured to a post 36 and is reciprocablein a vertical direction with respect to table 34. The mechanism forreciprocating said post and yoke is not a part of this invention andhence will not be described in detail. The function of yoke 35 is tocompress and hold bundle 27 against table 34 while said bundle is beingcross-tied.

The standard tying machine also has a second table which is flat andaligned with table 34, the second table being mounted within, and freelyrotatable with respect to, the sleeve to which twine arm 32 is secured.The second table provides support for the portion of the bundle whichextends beyond the cross-tie. In such standard machines the bundle isusually inserted and removed by hand, and hence the presence of thetwine arm and frame, etc., presents no problems, since the bundle may bewithdrawn from the side from which it is inserted into the machine. Inthe present instance, however, the bundle 27 is to be ejected by aforward movement of an ejecting mechanism operating against the bottomrear portions of the bundle and tending to propel it in the samedirection as did finger 19, i.e., directly toward the twine arm and itsbearing and sleeve. It is necessary, therefore, to deflect the bundle sothat it will move sideways and downwardly off the machine, despite theforward direction of the force upon the bundle.

The novel table employed with tying machine 10 to effect a sidewise anddownward movement of a bundle, is shown at 37 in FIGS. 1, 2 and 4. Saidtable is comprised of a horizontal portion 38, a first downwardlysloping portion 39 and a second, more steeply inclined downwardlysloping portion 40. Said portions are suitably secured together byspot-welding or other appropriate means to form a unitary Whole, and thewhole is then secured to a ring 64 fixed to a shaft 65 disposed withintwine arm sleeve 30. Extending transversely of the portions 38, 39 and40 are guides 41 and 42. These guides are located at the ends of theportions 38, 39 and 40, and define a chute with said second downwardlysloping part 40. Guide 41.has a horizontal portion 43 which is co-planarwith part 38 and serves to support a bundle while it is being tied.Guide 42 slopes upwardly and outwardly to avoid the creation of a rigidupright wall which would block progress of a bundle as the latter isturned and made to move downwardly into the chute 40. Guide 41 may havea vertically disposed inner wall 44, which is never contacted by theforward edge of a bundle and hence need not be sloped as is guide 42.

Horizontal portion 38 supports only one forward corner of a bundle, sothat the remaining portion of the forward part of the bundle isunsupported and rests over the sloping portions 39 and 40. To cause abundle 27 to turn and fall down sloping portions 39 and 40, a curvedguide plate or deflector 45 is provided. Said guide plate isappropriately mounted upon the horizontal portion 38 and is slopedupwardly and brackwardly with respect to said horizontal portion 38. Itis formed with a first section 46 which, as seen in FIG. 2, is angularlydisposed with respect to the forward direction of movement of a bundle,and a second section 47, which is turned to a greater extent across theforward path of movement of a bundle. The first and second sections 46and 47 are connected by a smoothly rounded intermediate section 48,which functions to guide a corner of a bundle 27 from the first section46 to the second section 47, said second section 47 extends over thefirst downwardly sloping portion 39 and also over a portion of thesecond downwardly sloping portion 40, as well as over guide 42. Saidsection 47 extends downwardly into contact with the portions 39 and andwith guide 42, to avoid the creation of any spaces into which one of theenvelopes or other parts of a bundle may be caught.

It may thus be seen that a bundle 27, which is urged forwardly orparallel with the axis of twine arm 32 will strike the first section 46of the curved guide plate and will then be deflected by said guide platearound the intermediate section 48, upon the second section 47 andincreasingly over the downwardly sloping part 39 and 40. As the bundleprogresses around guide 45, its center of gravity eventually leaves thehorizontal part 43 of the guide 41 and passes over the sloping part 39,whereupon the bundle begins to tip downwardly toward chute 4i).Continued movement around guide 45 brings the center of gravity of thebundle over the chute 40, whereupon the bundle is tipped further andturned by the guide 42 to slide down the chute 40. The angle of saidchute with respect to the horizontal is selected to promote suchdownward movement of a bundle by gravity along the chute. In the presentillustrative example the downward angle is 45 with respect to thehorizontal, but may be varied as desired consistent with the ejectingforce to be hereinafter described and with the speed with which thebundle is to be dropped down chute 40.

The ejecting mechanism is comprised essentially of a solenoid-operatedlever, the latter being located at a point on the apparatus wherein itmay impart an upward and forward movement to a bundle which has beencross-tied. Thus, referring to FIGS. 2, 3, 5, 6, 7 and 8, the ejectingforce is supplied by a solenoid 49 of any well known construction,fixedly secured to a portion 50 of the frame of the machine and providedwith a laterally extending pin 51 connected to the armature of thesolenoid and adapted to move in a vertical direction. It is contemplatedthat pin 51 will move upwardly when the solenoid is energized and willdrop back downwardly under the influence of a restoring spring, as isstandard practice. Disposed over the path of movement of the pin 51 is alever 52 secured to an oscillatable rod 53 which extends laterally fromlever 52 under table 34 and terminates in a radially bent end forming afinger 54 which extends rearwardly under said table 34 and preferably ina position substantially parallel with said table 34. A slot 55 isformed in table 34, of a size large enough to permit finger 54 to passtherethrough.

Rod 53 is supported from the frame of the machine 10 by a main centralbearing 56, and by two spaced bearings 57 and 58. Rod 53 is urged in onedirection of rotation by a spring 59, secured at one end to a bar 60extending laterally from the frame of the machine 10 and at its otherend secured to a lever 61 extending radially outwardly from and securedto rod 53. Rod 53 is urged in the opposite direction by the aforesaidsolenoid 49, acting through its armature-driven pin 51 upon lever 52. Anadjustable stop 62, contacted by a lever 63 secured to and rotatablewith rod 53, limits the movement of rod 53 under the action of spring59.

For purposes of economy, it i desirable to use as small a solenoid aspossible. The solenoid, however, is intended to rock rod 53 in adirection to raise finger 54 through slot 55 in table 34' and againstthe underside of a bundle 27 to urge said bundle forwardly. The movementof finger 54 is to be rapid to propel the bundle rapidly forward againstthe deflector 45 and over the chute 40. It is characteristic ofsolenoids that they can move greater loads after the armatures thereofare in motion than they can when the armatures are loaded before theyare energized. Accordingly, lever 52 is designed to come to rest againststop 62 when said lever 52 is spaced above pin 51, and finger 54 isdesigned to be spaced below the bundle 27 when lever 52 is at rest. Thisprovides in effect a double lost motion to allow the armature ofsolenoid 49 to gain momentum by which to perform its bundle-ejectingfunction. The principal stages of operation of the ejecting mechanismare shown in FIGS. 5, 6, 7 and 8. In FIG. 5, which represents thestarting position, lever 52 and finger 54 are shown spaced respectivelyfrom pin 51 and bundle 27. FIG. 6 shows the pin 51 in the next stagewherein it is moving upward across the space between it and lever 52 toacquire the momentum necessary to move the lever and its associatedmechanisms upwardly. FIG. 7 shows the lever 52 in its third stage ofmovement, finger 54 having, in the meantime, raised bundle 27 and thencaused said bundle to move forwardly while sliding down finger 54 toacquire a forward movement. FIG. 8 shows pin 51 in its final anduppermost position, with lever 52 at the end of its oscillatory movementin a counterclockwise direction, as viewed in FIG. 8, and with finger 54having, in effect,

struck the rear bottom corner of bundle 27 to give the bundle a finalforward propelling blow.

The operation of the device is as follows:

A bundle such as 17, having just been removed from conveyor 12 andplaced upon transfer-conveyor 11, is moved by the fingers 19 of the saidtransfer-conveyor to the right, as viewed in FIG. 2, to the positionoccupied by bundle 27. In this position, bundle 27 rests upon table 34over slot 55 and also upon horizontal portion 38 of table 37 of thecross-tying machine 10. The yoke 35 of the hold-down mechanism isoperated to compress said bundle 27 against table 34 and the tyingmachine is then operated to cause its twine arm 32 and knottingmechanism (not shown) to tie a reach of twine 33 around said bundle andknot it in the Well known manner. After the bundle is tied, solenoid 49is energized, preferably as a function of the operation of tying machine10, to cause its pin 51 to move upwardly to strike lever 52, which thenis oscillated along with it rod 53 in the bearings 56, 57 and 58 torotate finger 54 upwardly through slot 55 in table 34. Said finger 54moves rapidly across the space between it and bundle 27 to strike thebottom of said bundle, as shown in FIG. 7, and then to move upwardly tocause said bundle to slide downwardly along said finger 54, andforwardly as said finger 54 continues 'its oscillation in a clockwisedirection, as viewed in FIG. 8. Bundle 27 is thus given a forward strokewhich moves it along the horizontal portion 38 of table 37 and againstthe curved guide plate 45. The latter turns the forward end of thebundle over the sloping portions 39 and 40 of the table 37, until thecenter of gravity of the bundle is over said sloping portions, whereuponthe bundle falls upon the section 40 which functions as a chute to slidesaid bundle off machine 10.

Instead of two sloping portions 39 and 40, one smoothly rounded surfacemay be used which would include horizontal portion 38 and slopingportion 40. Similarly other modifications can be made in the table 37,the guide plate 45 and in the ejector mechanism without departing fromthe spirit of this invention.

It is understood that the foregoing description is merely illustrativeof a preferred embodiment of the invention and that the scope of 'theinvention therefore is not to be limited thereto, but is to bedetermined by the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In combination, a fixed tying machine table for partially supportingan article to be tied, a second tying machine ta'ble adjacent the fixedtable for partially supporting said article, a fixed tying machine framemember, a horizontal shaft rotatably mounted in said fixed machine framemember, and means supporting the second tying machine table from thehorizontal shaft for swinging movement therearound, means for propellingan article from the fixed table to the second table, and deflector meanson the second table in the path of movement of the propelled article andadapted to change the direction of the article while it is propelled.

2. The combination described in claim 1, said second table having adownwardly and laterally directed chute, and said deflector means beingadapted to direct an article laterally over said chute and off saidsecond table.

3. The combination described in claim 1, said article initially movingtoward said machine frame member, a twine arm, the axis of saidhorizontal shaft being disposed parallel to the direction of propulsionof said propelling means, and a sleeve on, and rotatable about, saidhorizontal shaft, said chute being directed substantially at rightangles to the direction of propulsion of said propelling means to directsaid article away from said frame member.

4. The combination described in claim 1, said fixed table having a slottherein and said means for propelling the article comprising anoscillatable finger adapted to be projected through said slot againstarticle, and means for oscillating said finger.

5. The combination described in claim 1, said fixed table having a slottherein and said means for propelling the article comprising anoscillatable rod disposed under said fixed table, a finger secured tosaid rod oscillatable therewith and projectable through said slot tocontact said article, solenoid operated means for turning said rod in adirection to project said finger through said slot, and resilient meansfor withdrawing said finger through said slot.

6. The combination described in claim 5, said solenoid operated meanscomprising a solenoid, a pin movable by the solenoid, a lever on saidrod adapted to be contacted by the pin to turn said rod, and stop meansfor said rod adapted to hold the lever spaced from said pin when thesolenoid is deenergized to allow the solenoid to acquire momentum beforeoperating said rod.

7. The combination described in claim 1, said swingable table having ahorizontal portion adjacent to and level with said fixed table adaptedto support a portion of said article, laterally and downwardly slopingportions adjacent said horizontal portion, guides at the sides of thedownwardly sloping portions to define a chute for the article, and saiddeflector means comprising an upwardly and backwardly sloping curvedguide extending across said horizontal portion and across part of saidsloping portion to turn articles laterally into said chute.

8. In combination, a table for supporting an article to be tied, saidtable having a slot disposed under said article, a pivoted finger belowsaid table and aligned with said slot to pass therethrough, a rodsupporting said finger for oscillating movement about the axis of saidrod, fixed bearings for said rod, a lever fixed to said rod andoscillatable therewith, a solenoid-operated pin reciprocable intoengagement with said lever to turn said rod, resilient means acting uponthe rod in opposition to the solenoid, stop means for holding said rodand said lever in a predetermined position relative to said pin againstthe action of said resilient means, such that said lever and pin areseparated when the solenoid-operated pin is at rest, a second table forsupporting a portion of the article to be tied, said second table havinga horizontal portion aligned with the first table, said second tablehaving further a chute directed downwardly and laterally of thedirection of movement of said finger, and a deflector mounted upon saidsecond table, said finger being adapted to propel an article toward thesecond table, and said deflector being curved to direct the articlelaterally over said downwardly directed chute.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS Labombard et a1.100-2 Dunsieth 19824 McClurkin et a1. 1007 X Clemons et a1. 198-188 Dunnet a1. 1007 8 2,867,166 1/1959 Saxton et a1 1007 X 3,131,626 5/1964Sinclair et al. 100218 3,160,088 12/1964 Bunn 1007 FOREIGN PATENTS474,935 7/1951 Canada.

WALTER A. SCHEEL, Primary Examiner.

BILLY I. WILHITE, Examiner.

1. IN COMBINATION, A FIXED TYING MACHINE TABLE FOR PARTIALLY SUPPORTINGAN ARTICLE TO BE TIED, A SECOND TYING MACHINE TABLE ADAJACENT THE FIXEDTABLE FOR PARTIALLY SUPPORTING SAID ARTICLE, A FIXED TYING MACHINE FRAMEMEMBER, A HORIZONTALLY SHAFT ROTATABLY MOUNTED IN SAID FIXED MACHINEFRAME MEMBER, AND MEANS SUPPORTING THE SECOND TYING MACHINE TABLE FROMTHE HORIZONTAL SHAFT FOR SWINGING MOVEMENT THEREAROUND, MEANS FORPROPELLING AN ARTICLE FROM THE FIXED TABLE TO THE SECOND TABLE, ANDDEFLECTOR MEANS ON THE SECOND TABLE IN THE PATH OF MOVEMENT OF THEPROPELLED ARTICLE AND ADAPTED TO CHANGE THE DIRECTION OF THE ARTICLEWHILE IT IS PROPELLED.